Steam-generator



J. F; OTIS. STEAMGENE-RATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR-11,1914. 1,355,686. Patented Oct. 12,1920

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

3 u uwwoz J. F. OTIS. I STEAM GENERATOR. AfPLlCATION FILED APR 11, I9I4- Patented Oct 12,1920.

2 SHEETSSIHEET 2,.

UNITED STATES JOHN FRANCIS OTIS, OF OSWEGO, NEW YORK.

STEAM-GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 11, 1914. Serial No. 831,137. H

To all whom it may concern j Be it known that I, J OHN FRANCIS OTIs, a citizen of the United States, residin at Oswego, in the county of .Oswego and tate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in steam generators; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred embodiments and mechanical expressions of my 1nvention from among other formations, arrangements and constructions within the spirit and scope of the invention.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for generating steam particularly where high pressure superheated steam is required and where it is necessary that the generating apparatus be extremely compact to occupy a restricted space both horizontally and vertically...

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for the generation of superheated steam;

A further object of theinvention-is to provide certain. improvements in, steam boiler construction for increasing. the durability of such boilers as well as the efficiency thereof. r A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in constructions, arrangements. and formation of parts whereby an exceedingly efficient and improved steam generating apparatus will be produced.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction andin combinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: c f

Figure 1, is a vertical section through steam generating apparatus built in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2, is a horizontal section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4:, is a section on the line 4-4, Fig. 2. 7 In the particularexample illustrated, I show an upright approximately cylindrical boiler having its shell; composed ofan aphorizontal section on. the line Patented Oct. 12,1920.

proximately flat or horizontal top fluesheet i or head 1, an upright inclosing or approximatelycylindrical wall composed of upper section 2, and lower section 3, and a crown or .bottom'flue sheet 4, having a depending annular or cylindrical portion 5, arrangedconcentrically within and of lessdiameter than the outer wall section 3, and at its lower end turned outwardly and secured to said outer wall section and in conjunction therewith forming an expansion joint or portion and an annular water leg 6. r

A multiplicity of parallel fire flues or tubes 77, extend through the water and steam spaces of the boiler within the outer-wall and between the flue sheets and the ends of said tubes are tightly secured and fitted in perforations in said flue sheets as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The space below the bottom flue sheet and Surrounded by the water leg can form a com- .bustion chamber 8, into which the lower ends of the flues open, and if so desired the outer Wall of theboiler can be extended downwardly fromgthe water leg to support the boiler and to form the outer wall of a fire brick and cement linedfire box 9, in which any. suitable oil or other burner. can be arranged. .The feed water is usually supplledto the boiler through inlet 12,;at the lower end portion of thewater leg, although my invention is not so limited. I The outer'wall 0r shell of the formed with a surrounding or, annular inboiler' is wardly and upwardly curving contraction,

inward bulge or depression 10, forming an;

annular deflecting shoulder or surface 11, overhanging the otherwise open. upper end of the water leg 6. V

This deflecting shoulder 11, curves" inwardly and upwardly over the water leg approximately to a position directly above and spaced. from the low-er flue sheet 4,. so thatv the annular throat or outlet of the water legcurves and contracts upwardly and hence opens inwardly over saidfluev sheet to direct the water" circulation across the surface of said" flue sheet and against the .hot lower ends of the flues,and this circulation is aided bythe introduction of the feedwater into the water leg as hereinbefore described. The purpose of this deflecting shoulder is. to pre vent direct upward.

flow of'the water from the leg. and along the vertical surface of the shell and away from h t a d lo e end P r o h flues resulting in certain serious disadvantages to the structureas; well asin the quality of the steam. I overcome these disadvantages by directing the flow of water inwardly along the top surface of the bottom flue sheet and against the lower portions of the flues where such parts are exposed to the direct heat of the burner and burning gases in the flues thereby protecting said sheet and the flues and maintaining a full supply of Water at the points where most 'needed for the full utilization of the heat vcomparatively long inward and upward curve.

The flanges 13, 14:, are rigidly securedtd' gether to form a tight joint between the sections 3, 2.

The depression 10, is approximately U shaped in cross section and the flange 13, merges thereinto along curved lines, and

- hence'the sections, 2, 3,are united by an expansion joint permitting longitudinal expansion and contraction of the boiler shell due to approximately flexible or elastic portions formed by the vertical curves thereof particularly by the curved depression 10.

In the particular example illustrated, the

. top fiue'sheet 1, is of 'greater'diameter than the interior of the boiler. The upper endof shell section 2, gradually curves upwardly and outwardly to and terminates in a horizontal annular out turned flange 15, arranged under and rigidly fixed to'the outer edge'portion of said'top flue sheet to form tatight joint, also constituting an expansion joint because of the curved portion of the shell joining the flange 15, thereto, as will be readily understoodby those skilled in the'art; I

By thus rendering the vertical shell of the boiler longitudinally elastic or expansible, the shell can yield" vertically to accommodate; expansion and contraction of the flues,

'ment' of the upper flue sheet.

and hence 'tend to preventthe ffiues from working loose where fastened in the flue sheetsandconsequent leakage. 7 By providingthe expansion joints in the outershell,

'the upper-fiuesheet can in effect move up and down with the flues as they expand and .contract as the outer shell will stretchaand contract vertically to permit such" move- The upper-portion of; the steam space within the boiler is preferably'spanned by a v fire tubes.

horizontal separator plate 16, in diameter approximately equal to the internal-diameter of the-boiler. This separator plate can be supported in any suitable manner as near the flue sheet 1, as practicable, although'in the specific example illustrated I show the plate upheld by several inwardly projecting lugs or brackets 17, secured to the boiler shell. This plate is formed with holes individually receiving the flues, and :these holes are slightly larger thanthe flues to provide narrowpassages or slits for the upward passage of the steam through the plate. The separator plate is .imperforate except for theperforations that 'more or less closely receive the fire tubes and is de-. signed to prevent passage ofwater-therethrough and also to remove moisture from the steam and to prevent passageof steam except in films along the hot tube surfaces and past the edges of the plate forming the surrounding walls of'saidperforations. By this arrangement the steam is forced to pass through the plate inrfilms in 'close contact from the steam.

' I preferably provide a combustion orhot gas chamber at the topof the upper flue sheet 1, and into which the flues or tubes 7, will discharge the hot or burningproducts from the combustion chamber 8.. For in stance, I show anupwardly extending hood '18,'mountedon the. upper end of: the boiler and at the upper end having a suitable outlet or discharge 19.vv I provide meansfor passing the steam from the boile'r'through the combustion chamber within this hood for thelpurpose of separating all water fromthe 1 steam and thoroughly superheating the steam before it passes off to perform its work whether for heating or powerpurposes.

The boiler. is provided with vertical steam outlet pipe or nipple 20, opening into the. steam space of the boiler approximately through the center of the flue sheet 1, and

this nipple rises from said flue sheetand opens intothe center of a combined separator and superheaterga rranged horizontally within the hood 18, and immediately above the flue sheet 1, andth'e upperends of the a central top steam outlet or discharge receiving the pipe,21, passing through. the hood and exposedto the heat: therein and extending to. the exterior of the hood. This pipe constitutes the steam ofi'take or supply 'throughwhich' the steam is supplied for per- This superheater. isformed'with hollow center or hub 23, and the interiors of the hub and arms-are spanned by an imperforate battling plate or diaphragm 24, preferably located centrally or midway between the top and bottom walls of the arms and hub. The interiors of the arms 22 open into the interior of the hub and the arms 'are otherwise imperforate and the bafliing plate spans the hub dividing the interior thereof into a bottom steam inlet space r ceiving the steam pipe 20 and a top steam outlet space receiving outlet pipe 21. The

plate extends-from the hub longitudinally within the arms but terminates short of the outer ends ofthe arms so that each-arm has a longitudinal steam passage leading outwardly from the inlet steam space of the hub to a vertical steam port or passage 25, beyond the end of the battling plate and at the outer end of the arm, and a longitudinal return steam passage above the baflling plate and from port 25, to the upper steam space of the hub.

The steam enters the superheater vertically through pipe 20, and impinges directly against the baflle plate and is then divided into outwardly flowing streams in the several arms and also return flowing streams in said arms, and. is thereby subjected to the intense heat under the hood and is thoroughly superheated.

The surfaces and edges of the baliling plate will tend to separate all. water from the steam and vaporize'and superheat the same;

perheater is not claimed herein as it forms I the basis of my divisional application for patent filed Jan..13, 1917, S. No. 142,215.

It is evident that various changes,modifications and variations might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence'I do notwish to limit myself to the exact disclosures hereof.

What I claim is 1 i. A vertical fire tube steam generator comprising top and bottom tube sheets, fire tubes carried thereby, and a shell composed of transverse sections having out turned flanges secured together and merging into their sections on curved lines and forming an expansion joint, one of said sections formed with a curved annular bulge form-. ing a'vertical expansible portion, the upper end of said shell being fixed to the top tube sheet and forming an expansion joint, the bottom tube sheet being joined to the lower portion of the shell by means embodying a vertically expansible portion, said bottom tube sheet and the shell forming a water leg, said-bulge being arranged over said leg to deflect the water rising therefrom against the lower ends of the tubes, substantially as described.

2. A vertical fire tube boiler comprising an outer shell, a top tube sheet secured to said shell, a bottom tube sheet having an annular depending portion in connection with the outer shell forming a water leg provided with the water supply inlet to the boiler, the lower end of said depending portion being turned outwardly and fixed to the shell and forming an expansion joint, and fire tubes secured to said sheets, said shell formed with an expansion joint embodying a curved annular contraction immediately above the water leg forming a deflector to direct the upflow of water from the water leg inwardly across the bottom tube sheet and against the lower ends of the tubes, substantiallyasdescribed.

3. A vertical fire tube boiler comprising an outer shell composed, of sections, the lower end ofthe upper section having an out turned annular horizontal flange merging along curved lines into the vertical portion of the sectlon, the upper end of the lower section having an annular curved contraction at its upper end curving outwardly and terminating in an out turned annular horizontal flange, said two flanges being fixed together to form a tight joint, upper and lower tube sheets, and fire tubes secured in said sheets, the lower tube sheet cooperating with the shell, to form a water legimmediately. below said contraction, said contraction forming a deflector to direct the upflowing water inwardly against the lower ends of the fire tubes.

i. A vertical fire tube boiler having a depending water leg, the outer shellof said boiler being formed in upper and lower sections at their meeting ends having outturned approximately horizontal flanges rigidly united to form a tight joint, said flanges 'merging into their respective sections on curved lines to render the shell longitudi- 'nally expansible, one of. SiLlCl shell sections being annularly formed with an upwardly and inwardly curving contraction immediately above the water leg to'setup a flow of water against the lower ends of the fire tubes.

5. A vertical fire tube boiler having a top flue sheet, an-outer shell at its upper end terminating in a flange secured to said sheet, a lower tube sheet having an annular depending portion within the'shell and at its lower end fixed thereto and in connection therewith forming a depending water leg, an annular inwardly extending deflector being arranged over the water leg to'set up a flow of water across the lower tube sheet, said shell formed of upper and lower sections having flanges secured together, said flanges merginginto the walls of their sections on curved lines, anda multiplicity of fire tubes secured to said sheets and forming the sole connection betweenthe same within the shell. a o

6.1A' vertical fire tube steam generator comprising upper andlower tube sheets, a multiplicity of vertical fire tubes secured thereto and forming the sole connection between the sheets withinthe generator, and a vertical she l to which said sheets are secured, said shell having an intermediateverticallvcurved annular inward water deflecting bulge extending into the water space of the s h lower tube sheet and forming a vertically expansible portion, said shell being vertically expansible with said tubes to prevent loosening of the tubes in the sheets, said generator providedwith an annular water leg below said bulge, said water leg provided with-the generator water suppl-y inlet, substantially as described. 7. In a steam generator, in combination, an upright inclosing shell comprising an uptherewith forming an annular; water leg,

the lower end of said wall being bent, to form an annular horizontal flange secured to said lower sectionand forming an expansion connect-ion, an annular deflector being provided over the water leg to direct flow of. water across the lowerflue sheet, and a multiplicity of closely-arranged vertical fire tubes extending between and secured in said sheets and constituting the soleconnections between the same within the shell. 7

8. A steam generatorhaving an annular depending water'leg :into which the feed water for the generator is introduced, said generator embodying a verticalrshell, an-upper tube sheet secured thereto, a lower tube sheet, vertical fire tubes extendingbetween and opening through said sheets, said shell of the tubes' g In testimonywhereof'I aflix my signature having an annular inward bulge rendering the shell longitudinally expansible withsaid fire tubes, the under side of said bulge forming an annular deflector within the water space of the generator arranged to maintain V the generator supplying flow of water from the water leg inwardly on the, lower tube sheet and against the lower ends of the tubes.

9; A steamgenerator comprising an in closing upright shell, upper and lower tube sheets, a multiplicity of vertical fire tubes opening through said sheets and constitutingrthe sole connection between the same -within the shell,'said generator having an annular depending water leg internally unobstructed and having the water supply for the generator opening-thereinto, said shell intermediatefits length bent'to' form an annular inward bulge rendering the shell longitudinally expansible, said bulge in the shell also forming an annular water deflector arranged withrespect to the water leg and lower tube sheet to require the generator supplying water occupying and ris- I ring from the water legto flow nwardly across said tube sheet to protect the lower ends of the tubes.

10. A vertical fire tube boilercomprising V a vertical shell, upper and lowertube sheets connected thereto, and fire tubes opening through said sheets, an annular portion of said shellextending inwardly, upwardly and outwardly and thus forming an inward an nular bulge in the shell rendering the same i longitudinallyexpansible with thefire tubes, said bulge extending inwardly over the bottom tube sheet andforming a water deflector to maintain flow of water across the bottom tube sheet, said boiler having itswater supply inlet arranged below said water deflector to'maintain saidflow of water. 7

11. A. vertical fire tubel boiler having; a depending annular water' leg provided with the boiler water supply inlet, arshell inclos ingthewater'space of the boiler and forming theouter 5 wall of said leg, upper and lower tube sheets secured tosaid shell, and

'fire tubesopening through said sheets, said shell being longitudinally expansiblej and contractilev with said tubes and havingan annular contracting portion curving inwardly over the waterleg and lower tube sheet to direct the'boiler supplying water rising from said leg inwardlyvon the top,

surface of said sheet to cool the lower ends in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: 7

JOHN W. JAoKs, FRED HEAGERTY,

JOHN 'FRANCIS'OTIS, 1 v 

